About Us

Magnus Theatre is Northwestern Ontario’s only professional theatre, a not-for-profit registered charity, and a full member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT). For nearly 50 years, our well-crafted productions have earned us a reputation as a leading arts organization in the region and beyond.

Magnus was founded in 1971 by British director Burton Lancaster and was incorporated in 1972. The company operates under the terms of the Canadian Theatre Agreement and engages artists from the Canadian Actors Equity Association (CAEA) and the Associated Designers of Canada (ADC). Each season, Magnus produces seven professional Mainstage productions, and the company’s programs now reach over 40,000 adults, students, and seniors throughout Northwestern Ontario each year.

Magnus is a member of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT) and operates under the terms of the Canadian Theatre Agreement (CTA), a collective agreement negotiated with the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association (CAEA). The CAEA is the professional association of performers, directors, choreographers, fight directors and stage managers who are engaged in live performance in English Canada. Magnus Theatre also engages professional lighting, set, and costume designers who are members of the Associated Designers of Canada (ADC), a national arts service organization dedicated to representing the interests of designers working in the performing arts.

Magnus provides distinctive artistic programming and services that are reflected in four core areas of activity: Mainstage production